Brick and stone complete.

The outside of the house is a little flat for me but you can't have everything.  

They put all the doors on too.

They will do stone around the fireplace hopefully this next week.

The kitchen cabinets are in but not stained or painted yet.

So excited about this rounded staircase.  My favorite part of the house.  

Chocolate Torte Cake

I found this cake on my friend Summer's blog.  I made it for the party at my in-laws.  It was a hit!

 Chocolate Torte Cake

1 devil's food cake mix

1 cup sour cream

1 pkg (3.5 oz) instant chocolate pudding

3 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/3 cups water

Combine cake ingredients and mix well.  Grease 2 (8 in) round cake pans.  Substitute cocoa for flour so you avoid white film on your cake.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes in pan then turn out on cooling rack.  Chill cakes before cutting and icing.  Cut each cake round in half horizontally with serrated knife, making 4 found pieces.  

Frosting

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 (8 oz) block cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

In your mixing bowl, whip heavy cream until very thick.  I a separate bowl, blend together cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt.  Fold cream cheese mixture into whipped cream.  Frost all four layers and keep in refrigerator until ready to eat.  

More Birthday fun!

Our neighbor girls invited Callie to play and wished her a Happy Birthday!  We will be sad to leave when we move again.    They have become great friends.

Emily, Callie, and Maddi 

Taylor and I went out to dinner in Southlake at a place called Truluck that Emily and Maddi's mom recommended.  It is a seafood place and we had the best Alaskan Halibut.  Truluck was voted the best chocolate cake in DFW area.  You can see it sitting on the table.  Mmmmmmmmm!

For my Birthday Taylor gave me an all expense paid trip to California, for the premiere of Breaking Dawn 2.

We had a Birthday party for Callie, me, and Carrie's baby who turned one on Saturday.  

Kierra and Paige sunbathing.

Daddy's little boy

For Mother's Day, Preston's preschool class painted a flower pot and clipped chores on it to help mom around the house.  Preston told his teacher he was making it for his dad.  She told him no it's for your mom.  So when he got home he told me, this is for dad and I looked at the bag and it read, "For Mom, love Preston".  I said, "NO, look at the bag".  I didn't let Taylor have my gift.  It was for me!

A few weeks ago our neighbor's were over and our kids were sharing Popsicles with them.  Preston opened up the freezer said, "Give me a dollar".  Taylor was exactly like that when he was a kid.  Just like his Daddy!

Preston's last day of preschool

Preston's class put on a play about a ladybug.  He was a whale.  

Preston's teacher, Ms. Meagan giving him an award.

His award was for Guru Organizer.  Of course it was.  That's how he was at his preschool in California.  Ms. Meagan said he always puts stuff back where it goes.  Now if we could get him to do that at home.    

Happy 7th Birthday, Callie!

I pinned an idea about 6 ideas to make Birthdays more special.  This was one of the ideas.  Then you put a present outside their door and they run through it when they get up.  

Callie woke up in the middle of the night and had to go to the bathroom.  I worried about this happening.  I told her to crawl under.  Haha!  

Callie opened a few presents before school.  She got some clothes and a jump rope.

The Birthday hair due

Birthday card from Grandma and Grandpa.  

Callie opening some presents this evening.  She got a Barbie cd player that came with 2 microphones and a Radio disney cd.

Kids say the funniest things

I was sitting in the car with the kids while Taylor was looking at the house.  Preston asked me, "Mom, how does that guy get in his car with those big shoes on?"  Taylor and I got a kick out of it.  Preston is so cute.  

Dry wall and Brick

We are very happy about the brick color on the house.  When Taylor picked it out he wasn't sure.  Seeing it on the ground is different  from how it looks with the gray mortar.  

Swimming at Meme's and Papa's house.It

It has been really hot so we took our suits but it was cold.  Yet  they still wanted to swim.  The water was cold but I got used to it after a while.  

All the cousins came over and had a great time.  Callie diving off the board.

I was putting Preston and Callie to bed and found Paige out in the family room  reading a book to her baby doll.  How cute is that?

Inside of the house

scrapes of wood the kids love to run through

Our rounded staircase.  I am so excited!  

The kitchen.  One of the workers was putting in the air conditioning tunnels.

The family room.

The hallway upstairs

Looking down to the front door

Preston's bedroom upstairs

Vroom, Vroom!

Our neighbor friend was taking his girls for a ride on his motorcycle and offered to take Callie and Preston.  Callie went first and loved it.  I was a little nervous but felt better when they had to wear helmets.  

Chad said to our kids to tell their Dad that they rode on the fastest motorcycle there is.    It is a Honda and can go from 0 to 60 mph in 2 seconds.  

Preston looks like one of those evil dudes from Star Wars that march around in  the white suits and helmets.    He looks funny with such a big head.

Preston is obsessed with motorcycles but he seemed scared.  He loved it after the ride was over.